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Gladiator (2000)
DVD (2 discs
+ 1 features
)
Blu-ray (2 discs
+ 1 features
)
Digital ✓
Genre: Drama
Aspect Ratio: Wide
Sound: DD 5.1
Academy Awards:
5 Wins , 12 Nominations
Synopsis
Loyalty, betrayal and revenge have fueled great stories since ancient times, and few modern films tell that kind of story on a grander scale. Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" is a big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scope worthy of Hollywood's golden-age spectacles, a rousing, brutal, action-packed adventure that uses computer effects to bring ancient Rome back to life. While the digital work isn't quite as seamless as in, say, "Titanic," it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at Russell Crowe. As Maximus, a heroic Roman general, Crowe cements his stardom with both commanding presence and serious acting skill, carrying the film on his very real shoulders as he goes from victorious commander to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to arena hero. When the dying emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) chooses Maximus to succeed him, the emperor's jealous son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), seizes the throne and orders Maximus and his family killed. Maximus escapes, but loses everything, and is sold into slavery as a gladiator, vowing revenge. The plot is a swirl of Shakespearean-style intrigue, full of murder, betrayal, power struggles and hidden identities, with grand dialogue to match, but it's all briskly shot, edited and paced with a modern sensibility. Even the battle scenes, more implied than explicit but still bloody, have a gritty realism that recalls, believe it or not, "Saving Private Ryan," even in togas. Phoenix chews the scenery with authority as the villainous Commodus, furious at Maximus' popularity with the crowds and unhealthily fixated on his sister, Lucilla (the beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen). Oliver Reed, in his final role, strikes the perfect balance of camp and gravitas as the gladiator trainer who turns Maximus into a star of the Colosseum, and Djimon Hounsou and Derek Jacobi co-star. Scott's visual flair is everywhere, with breathtaking shots and gorgeous, if digital, landscapes, and Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard's haunting score adds to the grandeur. But it's Crowe's star power that holds you spellbound. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and a sequel followed in 2024. Hail the conquering hero!
Cast
Connie Nielsen
Russell Crowe
Richard Harris
Joaquin Phoenix
Oliver Reed
Derek Jacobi
Djimon Hounsou
David Schofield
Director
Ridley Scott
Awards & Nominations
- Oscar Nominee: Best Actor In A Supporting Role
- Oscar Nominee: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
- Oscar Nominee: Best Cinematography
- Oscar Nominee: Best Director
- Oscar Nominee: Best Film Editing
- Oscar Nominee: Best Music, Original Music Score
- Oscar Nominee: Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
- Oscar Winner: Best Actor In A Leading Role
- Oscar Winner: Best Costume Design
- Oscar Winner: Best Effects, Visual Effects
- Oscar Winner: Best Picture
- Oscar Winner: Best Sound
Keywords
Academy Award Winners
Ancient Greece / Rome
Drama
Epics
War
Technical Specifications
Audio Languages
English
Subtitle Languages
English
Special Features
- Audio commentary
- Cast biographies/profiles/filmographies
- Deleted/extended scenes
- Featurettes/Behind-The-Scenes/Documentaries
- Interviews
- Production notes
- Trailers/TV spots
- Ridley Scott Commentary
- Montage of Additional Footage
- Hans Zimmer Interview
- 2 Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes
- Slide Show
- The Aurelian Archives
- Strength and Honor: Creating the World of Gladiator
- Visions from Elysium: Topic Marker